Strawberry plant named ‘DrisStrawFour’

ABSTRACT

This invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of strawberry plant named ‘DrisStrawFour’. A new cultivar primarily characterized by its large fruit size, heavy fruit production, moderate resistance to  Lygus hesperus, Botrytis  fruit rot, powdery mildew, and Strawberry Mottle Virus and resistance to  Verticillium  wilt is disclosed.

Genus and species: Fragaria×ananassa.

Variety denomination: ‘DrisStrawFour’.

BACKGROUND OF THE NEW PLANT

The present invention relates to a new and distinct strawberry cultivar designated ‘DrisStrawFour’ and botanically known as Fragaria×ananassa. This new strawberry cultivar was discovered in December, 2000 and originated from a cross between the female parent ‘6F364’, a proprietary strawberry plant (unpatented) and the male parent ‘Mirador’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 11,279). The original seedling of the new cultivar was asexually propagated at a nursery in Shasta County, California. ‘DrisStrawFour’ was subsequently asexually propagated and underwent further testing at a nursery in Hillsborough County, Florida for six years. The present invention has been found to retain its distinctive characteristics through successive asexual propagations.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying color photographs show typical specimens of the new cultivar at various stages of development as nearly true as it is possible to make in color reproductions.

FIG. 1 shows overall plant habit including fruit at various stages of development.

FIG. 2 shows leaves of the plant with three leaflets.

FIG. 3 shows both the upperside and underside of several of the flowers.

FIG. 4 shows the whole fruit.

FIG. 5 shows the fruit in longitudinal cross-section.

DESCRIPTION OF THE NEW CULTIVAR

The following description of ‘DrisStrawFour’ is based on observations taken from the 2000 to 2005 growing seasons in Hillsborough County, Florida. This description is in accordance with UPOV terminology. Color designations, color descriptions, and other phenotypical descriptions may deviate from the stated values and descriptions depending upon variation in environmental, seasonal, climatic and cultural conditions. ‘DrisStrawFour’ has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. Color terminology follows The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, London (R.H.S.) (2001).

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

Table 1 shows plant characteristics of the new variety compared with plant characteristics of the male parent ‘Driscoll Mirador’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 11,279). Plant characteristics include plant height, terminal leaf length, petiole length, fruit length, fruit width and Botrytis fruit rot.

TABLE 1 ‘Driscoll Characteristic ‘DrisStrawFour’ Mirador’ Plant height (cm) 20.9 13.5 Terminal leaf 8.3 7.7 length (cm) Petiole length 11.2 9.2 (cm) Fruit length (cm) 4.5 3.4 Fruit width (cm) 4.2 2.4 Botrytis fruit rot Moderately resistant Moderately susceptible

Table 2 shows plant characteristics of the new variety compared with plant characteristics of the commercial varieties, ‘Driscoll Malibu’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 16,070) and ‘Driscoll Osceola’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 15,752). Plant characteristics include plant height, diameter, number of crowns per plant, habit, density of individual plant and vigor.

TABLE 2 Characteristic ‘DrisStrawFour’ ‘Driscoll Malibu’ ‘Driscoll Osceola’ Plant height 20.9 17.9 18.5 (cm) Plant diameter 40.7 39.8 38.2 (cm) Number of 4  4  2  crowns/plant Habit Between flat Globose Flat globose globose and flat Density of Between medium Medium Between open individual plant and dense and medium Vigor Strong Between weak Medium and medium

Table 3 shows leaf characteristics of the new cultivar compared with leaf characteristics of ‘Driscoll Malibu’ and ‘Driscoll Osceola’. Leaf characteristics include terminal leaflet length and width in centimeters, length to width ratio, number of teeth per terminal leaflet, shape of teeth, color of upperside and underside of leaf, leaf shape in cross section, leaf blistering, leaf glossiness, number of leaflets, leaflet margin, and shape of leaf base.

TABLE 3 Leaf ‘Driscoll Characteristic ‘DrisStrawFour’ ‘Driscoll Malibu’ Osceola’ Terminal 8.3 9.3 10.3 leaflet length (cm) Terminal 8.2 9.3 10.4 leaflet width (cm) Terminal 1.02 1.00 0.98 leaflet length/width ratio No. 25 23 11 teeth/terminal leaflet Shape of teeth Rounded Between obtuse Obtuse and rounded Color of RHS 137A Dark RHS 141A Dark RHS 135B upperside of green bright green Dark bright leaf blue-green Color of RHS 148C RHS 139C RHS 138B underside of Medium Medium green Medium green leaf yellow-green Leaf shape in Concave Between slightly Between cross section concave and flat concave and slightly concave Leaf blistering Strong Medium Medium Leaf glossiness Medium Weak Medium No. leaflets Three only Three only Three only Terminal Flat Flat Flat leaflet margin Terminal As long as broad As long as broad As long as leaflet: broad length/width ratio Terminal Obtuse Rounded Rounded leaflet base shape

Table 4 shows information about the petiole, the petiolule, the bract, and the stipule of the new cultivar compared to ‘Driscoll Malibu’ and ‘Driscoll Osceola’. This includes petiole length in centimeters, petiole diameter in centimeters, petiolule length in centimeters, petiolule diameter in centimeters, bract frequency per petiole, stipule length in centimeters, stipule width in centimeters, stipule pubescence, petiole pubescence, pose of hairs on the petiole, color of the petiole and color of the petiolule.

TABLE 4 ‘Driscoll Characteristic ‘DrisStrawFour’ ‘Driscoll Malibu’ Osceola’ Petiole length 11.2 10.5 9.1 (cm) Petiole diameter 0.417 0.402 0.406 (cm) Petiole Between sparse Dense Dense pubescence and medium Petiole pose of Upwards Downwards Between hairs outwards and downwards Petiole color RHS 145A Light RHS 144B Bright RHS 141C yellow-green yellow-green Bright medium green Petiolule color RHS 145C Light yellow-green Petiolule length 1.096 1.424 1.205 (cm) Petiolule diameter 0.232 0.260 0.251 (cm) Bract frequency 1 1 0 Stipule length 3.8 4.0 4.5 (cm) Stipule width 1.047 1.162 1.091 (cm) Stipule Medium Medium Medium pubescence

Table 5 shows stolon characteristics of the new cultivar compared to ‘Driscoll Malibu’ and ‘Driscoll Osceola’. These characteristics include the number of stolons, the anthocyanin coloration of the stolons, the thickness of the stolons, and the pubescence of the stolons.

TABLE 5 ‘Driscoll Characteristic ‘DrisStrawFour’ ‘Driscoll Malibu’ Osceola’ Stolon Number Few Few Few Stolon Very strong Between medium Between Anthocyanin and strong medium and strong Stolon Thickness Thick Between medium Between and thick medium and thick Stolon Sparse Medium Dense Pubescence

Table 6 shows inflorescence characteristics of the new cultivar compared to ‘Driscoll Malibu’ and ‘Driscoll Osceola’. These characteristics include inflorescence position relative to foliage, relative flower size, flower diameter in centimeters (measured from petal tip to petal tip), relative spacing of petals, petal length in centimeters, petal width in centimeters, petal length to width ratio, petal color, calyx diameter in centimeters (measured on back of flower from sepal tip to sepal tip), diameter of calyx relative to corolla, diameter of inner calyx relative to outer, sepal length in centimeters (measured from sepal tip to point of attachment to receptacle), sepal width in centimeters, receptacle color and anther color.

TABLE 6 ‘Driscoll Characteristic ‘DrisStrawFour’ ‘Driscoll Malibu’ Osceola’ Inflorescence Between level Between level Between level position relative with and above with and above with and above to foliage Flower size Medium Medium Medium Flower diameter 3.014 2.525 3.045 (cm) Petal spacing Overlapping Overlapping Overlapping Petal length (cm) 1.278 1.290 1.623 Petal width (cm) 1.463 1.429 1.698 Petal length/width 0.87 0.90 0.96 ratio Petal length/width Broader than long Between much Between as ratio broader than long as broad long and and longer broader than than broad long Petal color RHS 155C White RHS 155C RHS 155C White White Calyx diameter 3.776 4.021 5.659 (cm) Calyx diameter Larger Larger Larger relative to corolla Inner calyx Same size Larger Between diameter relative smaller and to outer same size Sepal length (cm) 1.252 1.396 2.147 Sepal width (cm) 0.718 0.796 1.182 Receptacle color RHS 9A Bright golden yellow Anther color RHS 12A Golden yellow

Table 7 shows fruit characteristics of the new cultivar compared to ‘Driscoll Malibu’ and ‘Driscoll Osceola’.

TABLE 7 ‘Driscoll Characteristic ‘DrisStrawFour’ ‘Driscoll Malibu’ Osceola’ Fruiting truss 19.1 17.4 19.9 length (cm) Fruiting truss Prostrate Prostrate Prostrate attitude Fruiting truss Between short Short Between short length and medium and medium Fruit length (cm) 4.517 4.921 4.223 Fruit width (cm) 4.183 3.960 3.968 Fruit length/width 1.08 1.24 1.06 ratio Fruit length/width As long as broad Between as As long as ratio long as broad broad and longer than broad Fruit weight (g) 28 28 30 Relative fruit size Medium Between Between small medium and and medium large Predominant fruit Cordate Conical Cordate shape Difference in Slight Slight Slight shape between primary & secondary fruits Band without Medium Between Between achenes absent and absent and very narrow very narrow to narrow Unevenness of Between absent Medium Weak fruit surface and very weak Fruit skin color RHS 46A Dark RHS 46B Dark RHS 46A red bright red Dark red Evenness of fruit Even Slightly uneven Slightly uneven color Fruit glossiness Between medium Strong Strong and strong Insertion of Level with Between below Below surface achenes surface surface and level with surface Achene RHS 181A Dark coloration- greyed-red sunward side of berry Achene RHS 13A Golden coloration-shaded yellow side of berry Achenes per berry 356 Achene weight 0.0014 Insertion of calyx Level Level Level Pose of calyx Between Reflexed Between segments spreading and spreading and reflexed reflexed Size of calyx in Between same Between same Between same relation to fruit size and larger size and larger size and larger Adherence of Strong Strong Strong calyx Firmness of flesh Medium Between soft Between soft and medium and medium Color of the flesh RHS 44B Bright RHS 48C RHS 48D Light red and RHS Medium pink pink 155C White Evenness of flesh Slightly uneven Slightly uneven Slightly uneven color Distribution of Marginal and Marginal and Marginal and flesh color central central central Hollow center Large Small Medium Sweetness Strong Medium Medium Acidity Medium Medium Medium Texture when Medium Medium Fine tasted Time of flowering Very early Very early Very early Harvest maturity Early-Mid Late Late (50% of plants November to with ripe fruit) early April Type of bearing Fully everbearing Partially Partially everbearing everbearing Grams of 443 287 422 fruit/plant

Table 8 shows the resistance to different forms of stress of the new cultivar compared to ‘Driscoll Malibu’ and ‘Driscoll Osceola’. These forms of stress include high temperatures and pesticides.

TABLE 8 Reaction to ‘Driscoll Stress ‘DrisStrawFour’ ‘Driscoll Malibu’ Osceola’ High Moderately resistant temperatures

Table 9 shows pest and disease characteristics of the new cultivar compared to ‘Driscoll Malibu’ and ‘Driscoll Osceola’.

TABLE 9 ‘Driscoll Pest or Disease ‘DrisStrawFour’ ‘Driscoll Malibu’ Osceola’ Tetranychus urticae Moderately Susceptible Susceptible (2-spotted spider susceptible mite) Tarsonemus pallidus Moderately resistant Aphelencoides Moderately fragariae resistant Pratylenchus Moderately penetrans susceptible Aphis spp. (Aphids) Moderately susceptible Lygus hesperus Moderately Susceptible Susceptible (Lygus bug) resistant Botrytis fruit rot Moderately Susceptible Susceptible resistant Powdery mildew Moderately Moderately Moderately resistant susceptible susceptible Verticillium wilt Resistant Highly Susceptible susceptible Leather rot Resistant Red stele Moderately Phytophthora resistant fragariae Ramularia tulasnei- Moderately Leaf spots resistant Leaf scorch Resistant Leaf blight Resistant Black root rot Resistant Viral diseases- Moderately Susceptible Susceptible Strawberry Mottle resistant Virus Xanthomonas Moderately Moderately Moderately fragariae susceptible susceptible susceptible 

1. A new and distinct cultivar of strawberry plant as described and shown herein. 